There are numerous instances requiring a relatively compact, lightweight, quiet mobile lighting unit capable of providing high intensity illumination in the order of 1-3 million candle powers, for an extended period and which is operable independently of stationary or even portable power generators.
Typifying such instances are various night time activities, such as building or road construction, security checks of warehouses as well as field repair of equipment and a variety of operations common to mining activities where cumbersome generators and lights are usually hauled to the operating sight in question.
In still other instances, drug enforcement officials have urgent need for silent, portable lights in border patrol operations to assist in apprehending smugglers and illegal entrants. A similar need exits for emergency service personnel, such as paramedics and firemen, who frequently are required to perform in remote or difficult to reach areas where artificial lighting is either unavailable or inadequate.
While there are numerous known prior art developments for mobile lighting equipment, such are normally energized by noisy gasoline or diesel powered generators, frequently in conjunction with long heavy power cables extending between the generator and lights. In many such previously developed units, tall elevatable masts are employed to mount one or more flood lights which, however, makes directional adjustment of the elevated lights difficult and cumbersome.
In certain other instances battery powered flood lights have been resorted to, but these have been of limited lighting capacity and operational duration.
Still other developments have been directed to portable light masts adapted to be detachably mounted on motor vehicles, such as fire or light pick-up truck and which frequently are powered by heavy and noisy motor generators carried by the vehicle.
Despite such prior developments, there still exists a real and urgent need and demand for a relatively simple, mobile emergency lighting unit which is self-powered and can be carried by or towed behind a motor vehicle and yet is lightweight enough to be manually pulled and maneuvered by one or two men over practically any terrain while at the same time providing a quiet, high intensity and powerful light source that may be quickly and efficiently directed, as desired.